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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: foot · hide · file · scale · pit · spring · lean · fine

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. scale — in music
  7. pit — a hole
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fine — all right
  10. lean — thin
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. file — a tool
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. scale — size or range
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pit — in a race
  18. foot — a measure
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. fine — high quality
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. file — a document
  24. lean — to bend

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com